Students from five Fayette County schools attended the very first Athena Music and Leadership Camp, sponsored by Music Essentials, June 9-13, 2009 on the campus of the University of West Georgia. Named for the Greek goddess of the Arts and Wisdom, the Athena band camp is designed to serve 7th – 12th grade girls who play woodwind, brass, or percussion instruments. This year’s camp participants included 44 young ladies from 9 metro-Atlanta counties and 23 schools including Fayette Middle, Flat Rock Middle, Rising Starr Middle, Bennett’s Mill Middle, and Fayette County High School. The girls spent the week in instrument specific master classes, music theory and conducting classes, and leadership and empowerment seminars. The camp concluded with a concert by the all girl symphonic band Saturday, June 13th at the University of West Georgia.

An all female camp staff of musicians created a nurturing, yet stimulating environment for the girls throughout the week: Zandra Bell, UGA doctoral student and former band director at Youth Middle School in Monroe, Dr. Lara Dahl, oboe professor at Georgia State University, Patti Martin, band director in Carroll County, Kay Fairchild, conductor of the Atlanta Trumpet Ensemble, Dr. Ellie Jenkins, horn professor at the University of West Georgia, Hollie Lawing, professional trombonist and member of the Midtown Brass Quintet, and Paula Williams, percussion director at Pope High School. Two Fayette County teachers were also involved: Leslie Minor, elementary school band director and assistant director at Flat Rock Middle School, served as the clarinet and music theory instructor, and Dr. Myra Rhoden, band director at Fayette County High School, served as the camp’s director and conductor of the all girl symphonic band. Additional leadership and conducting seminars were presented by Dr. Dawn Perry, director of bands at Wingate University in North Carolina, Patrice Butler of the Coca-Cola Company, and Dr. Joyce Rhoden, director of the Counseling Center at Tuskegee University in Alabama. Kimberly Pace, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, served as the official photographer for the event.

The Athena Music and Leadership Camp is open to all female 7th through 12th grade musicians (woodwind, brass, and percussion) and will be held June 8-12, 2010 at the University of West Georgia. For more information, including a photo gallery of this year’s camp, please visit www.musicessentialsonline.com.

Fayette County student participants in alphabetical order:

Katherine Burke - BMMS
Callie Burks - FRMS
Ashley Carter - FCHS (not pictured)
Emily Gomes - FMS
Gabrielle Illg - RSMS
Alexis Johnson - FCHS
Tori Melton - RSMS
Sarah Mendes - RSMS
Mallory Northrop - FCHS (not pictured)
Elisabeth Pagan - FMS
Sara Preiss - FRMS
Omone Tokurah - FMS
Marisa Winter - RSMS

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